Piano-orchestrion.



No. 831,072. PATBNTED SEPT. 1a, 1905. J. C. HOPMANN.

PIANO ORGHESTRION.

kAPPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIANO-ORCHESTRION.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application ilerl May 25, 1905. Serial No. 262,201.

T0 allvwlwm, it 171,001/ concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUs CARL Hor- MANN, a citizen of the Empire of Austria- Hungary, residing at Vienna, Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Piano-Orchestrions, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention has for its object an appliance which serves to regulate the volume of sound in automatic piano-orohestrions by the note-cylinder automatically from the softest piano to the loudest forte and likewise to influence the resonance of the notes struck by the lifting of the dampers, which is also effected by the note-cylinder.

The invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a diagrammatic front elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a section on the line A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line C D of Fig. l, all the parts which are shown in Fig. 2 being omitted from this figure.

A bar c is arranged transversely over all the strings m-that is to say, it extends throughout the entire Width of the orchestrion, and during the time the mechanism is operative this bar rocks uninterruptedly on its longitudinal axis. On this bar leafsprings ZJ, corresponding in number with the strings m, are arranged, their free extremities carrying the striking-hammers c. It is only possible for these hammers to participate in the vibrations of the bar a, when a special bent striking-leverfg 7i, one of which is provided for each hammer, permits of this. These bent levers f g h are mounted in such a .manner as to be capable of rocking upon the spindle (Z, extending throughout the whole width of the orchestrion, and owing to the action of a springt acting upon the short arm f of each of them they tend to assume the vertical position, (represented in broken lines in Fig. 2,) and they are depressed from this position by the keys Zr, acted upon by the notecylinder w. The long arms g Zi of the strikinglevers consist of two or more parts-for example, g and h-which are connected by readily-yielding hinges formed of leather or fabric, for example.

In the position of the bent levers f g 7L indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2, which position they naturally assume under the influence of the springs i, the respective hammers are pressed against the strings m, and thereby rendered quite inoperative. If one of the striking-leversf g h is caused to move by its key ZC, acted upon by the note-cylinder, and against the action of the spring i into the position represented in full lines in Fig. 2, its hammer Z) c will be released and be subject to the oscillations imparted to it by the rocking bar a, thus producing a note the strength of which is dependent upon thc amplitude of oscillation permitted to it. The amplitudes of all the striking-levers fg Zi are all the same, as they are defined by the swing of the keys ZC, the movements of which are dependent upon the height of the projections o upon the note-cylinder w, which are all of equal height.

In order to render it possible to vary the amplitude of the oscillations of the hammersthat is to say, the volume of soundproducedthere 'is provided, in addition to the longitudinal division of the vertical arms of the striking-leversf g ZL into two or more longitudinal parts, which has already been mentioned., the following device: A plate n is mounted transversely over all the striking-levers f g Zi in such a manner as to be capable of rocking around a horizontal longitudinal spindle :t On the lower longitudinal edge of this plate a row of eyes 0 is provided, and in these eyes the upper ends of the vertical arms p of bent levers p q, which are likewise adapted to rock around the spindle (Z, engage. The bent levers p g, the number of which depends upon the width of the orchestrion, are likewise held by springs u in an approximately vertical position and are also displaced by the keys t, actuated by the note-cylinder w from this position into the position shown in Fig. 2. The magnitude of the oscillations of the keys t and of the plate n depends upon the height of the projections Z, provided upon the notecylinder w for these keys. Owing to this arrangement, notwithstanding the fact that the strokes of all the striking-levers f g ZL invariably remain the same, the upper parts 72, of the levers j' g h are only able to move from their inoperative position (shown in broken lines)-that is to say, to bend in in accordance with the rocking of the bar so that they only allow amplitudes of oscillation to the hammers Z) c, which are dependent upon the position for the time being of the plate n, which is defined by the height of theprojections Z. By appropriately selecting the heights of the projections Z it is possible to regulate the volume of sound from pianissimo to fortissimo.

IIO

operative, (asis done in the case of pianos by I means of the pedals,) a bar y is mounted in front of the dampers s throughout the entire Width of the orchestrion and in such a manner as to be capable of rocking around its longitudinal axis. This bar when swung to the right hand in the position represented in Eig. 3 in broken lines lifts all the dampers s from the strings m. The rocking of this bar y is effected by means of levers j, adapted to rock around the spindle d, and maintained in a vertical position by springs 4, which are connected by rods 2 with the upper side of the bar y, and are operated by special keys 3 by the note-cylinder. l

The device described above, which serves for altering the volume of. sound, may also be employed with ordinary pianos to be played'by hand and this in such a manner' that the plate n, defining the stroke of the hammers, is actuated by edal mechanism. In mechanical pianos, in W ich the bar a, carrying the hammers, is maintained in constant movement by mechanical means while the separate levers f g h are lifted by the ordinary hand-operated keyboard, the displacement of the striking-plate n may likewise'b'eefected by a pedal mechanism.

What I claim is- The combination in piano-orchestrions,

with arock-shaft a, of'hammers secured thereto, jointed levers f g, h, two members g, h of which are connected by flexible hinges, a plate n bearing upon the ends of the upper joints of said levers, special levers p, engaging the lower Aedge of plate n and adapted to rock the latter more or less, thereby iniluencing the stroke of the hammers 'and keys for actuating said jointed levers and said special lever, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS CARL HOFMANN. 

